1968 Topps Milton Bradley help

[Cliff Bowman]

The 1968 Topps Billy Williams was on the bottom row of one of the two 132 card First Series sheets, all 11 cards in the row can be found with white at the bottom if they are severely miscut.

[etsmith]

Thanks, that explains it. Here's the card, I don't know why it has a purple line where the white meets the burlap.


Billy Williams.jpg

[G1911]

Originally Posted by etsmith

Thanks, that explains it. Here's the card, I don't know why it has a purple line where the white meets the burlap.

I believe it is a cutting line. Pretty much every 1968 Topps cars can be found with a line like this at top or bottom border, in multiple colors. These lines are common in 1969 and 1970 as well, though most uncut material I’ve seen do not have them.

[jchcollins]

So, is it true as I've read that the 1968 design MB cards were really not made or at least issued until 1969? If so how solid is the evidence on that? Has anyone ever tried to claim that the MB Koosman / Ryan is not a RC because it was not issued in '68?

That could get interesting. I'm guessing I would side with those that say yes, come on it's a variation of the same card. It is period correct and produced in the same manner as the real '68 Topps set, even if it was done somewhat later.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

So, is it true as I've read that the 1968 design MB cards were really not made or at least issued until 1969? If so how solid is the evidence on that? Has anyone ever tried to claim that the MB Koosman / Ryan is not a RC because it was not issued in '68?

That could get interesting. I'm guessing I would side with those that say yes, come on it's a variation of the same card. It is period correct and produced in the same manner as the real '68 Topps set, even if it was done somewhat later.

I have always assumed that the MB's are a 1968 issue. If they were a 1969 issue, I would think the 33 football cards in the set would not be 1967 Topps cards, but would then have used 3 rows from the 1968 footballs. The selection of 1967 footballs + first 2 series of 1968 baseball selection (and the 22 1968 Hot Rods) seem to strongly suggest a 1968 printing. I'd be interested if there's anything to indicate this assumption based on the checklist has been wrongful.

[ALR-bishop]

John—See Carlton Miller's article linked in post 12. I do not think anyone knows more about the MB set than he does

[Exhibitman]

I bought a lot of random FB cards recently and got my first MB, a Ben Davidson. Speckles of a baseball card at the bottom.

[horzverti]

Originally Posted by G1911

I have always assumed that the MB's are a 1968 issue. If they were a 1969 issue, I would think the 33 football cards in the set would not be 1967 Topps cards, but would then have used 3 rows from the 1968 footballs. The selection of 1967 footballs + first 2 series of 1968 baseball selection (and the 22 1968 Hot Rods) seem to strongly suggest a 1968 printing. I'd be interested if there's anything to indicate this assumption based on the checklist has been wrongful.

The MB Win-A-Card game was first marketed toward the end of 1968, during the Christmas shopping season. This explains the use of the most recently produced BB cards, the 1968s. I would guess that 1968 FB cards were on store shelves during this period, so I am not sure why they chose to include 1967 FB cards and not the more current 1968s. I can only assume that Topps made this decision to not potentially interfere with sales of their 1968 FB cards.